A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a landing nipple. More particularly, this invention relates to a safety valve landing nipple which selectively provides communication between a surface control line and the internal bore of said landing nipple by use of a rotary sleeve.
B. The Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,315 discloses a landing nipple adaptable to be made up in a tubing string having a sliding sleeve disposed in its bore for selectively providing communication of balance and control pressure fluid to the nipple bore. Upon seal failure, the fluid invades the balance pressure fluid communication means instead of the control pressure fluid communication means.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,186 discloses a well safety system comprising a tubing retrievable safety valve and landing nipple which are connected by a common conduit for conducting a suitable pressure fluid for control and balance of the safety valve and a secondary valve landed in the landing nipple. Either the safety valve or the landing nipple may be selected for the control or balance fluids to flow into.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,540 discloses a hydraulic actuated communication nipple for switching control fluid from one location to a second location in a well tool. A ball is dropped down t he control line and seats on the piston, closing the fluid passage, moving the sleeve, and opening the fluid passageway to the bore. The piston also acts as a vertical moving plug to seal off the outlet with a metal to metal seal.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,177 discloses a downhole tool which may be a safety valve or stand alone nipple. A cutting tool is mounted for radial movement in a recess provided in the internal bore of the tubular housing. The control pipe is severed by the cutting tool and the severed portion of the pipe is crimped closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,162 discloses a well safety valve for use in a fluid well conduit through Which fluid is produced by pumping. A valve opens and closes in response to the fluid level in the conduit. When pumping is discontinued, the fluid level in the conduit increases to a predetermined high level to close the valve. When pumping begins, the fluid level falls and when it reaches a predetermined low level the valve is opened.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,674 discloses a subsurface safety valve with a flapper plate and operator tube where the operator tube telescopically retracts within the piston while the flapper plate rotates through the critical throttling region into sealing engagement against the flapper valve seat. The operator tube is retracted rapidly through the spring housing in response to rotation of the flapper plate, thus substantially reducing the magnitude of reaction forces which arise during dragging engagement between the flapper plate and the curved edge of the operator tube.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,629,058, 3,442,536, and 1,896,104 show known rotary locking systems but do not relate to a rotary landing nipple and rotary shifter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,061 and co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/610,708 (now allowed), both assigned to Otis Engineering Corporation for Rotary Locking System with Metal Seals and Flow Actuated Safety Valve with Retrievable Choke and Metal Seals, respectively, are also relevant.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,082,061 discloses a landing nipple connectible in a well conduit. The landing nipple has an internal metal seat and helically profiled segments with upper orienting surfaces. A well flow control device is connected to a rotary lock mandrel, which is connected to a rotary running tool and lowered into the well conduit and landing nipple. Repeated downward impact on the running tool rotates the rotary lock mandrel and segments into locking engagement with the landing nipple segments, sealingly engaging the lock mandrel metal seal surface with the landing nipple metal seat.
Ser. No. 07/610,708 discloses a direct acting safety valve having a flapper valve, all metal to metal seals, and a retrievable flow choke carried on a lock mandrel, which locks and seals in the safety valve operating tube. Production flow impingement force on the flow choke overcomes the force of a roller type snap closure device and a spring holding the operating tube in valve open position, releasing the operating tube to move upward quickly to a position permitting the flapper valve to close.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,460,046 discloses a control fluid communication nipple with a vertically moving sleeve which breaks a screw in tension and exposes the cavity in the crew to the interior of the well tool.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,540 discloses a hydraulically actuated control fluid communication nipple with a vertically moving sleeve which opens the fluid passageway to the bore when a ball is dropped down the control line, seats on the piston and closes the fluid passage.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,867 discloses a well flow control system in a well conduit including a landing nipple.
The use of a longitudinal or vertically moving shifting means is not sufficient to prevent premature lockout because unintended shifting can easily take place. However, it is unlikely that standard wireline tools can provide enough torque to unintentionally rotate a rotary member. Thus, a landing nipple with a rotary member used to selectively provide communication between the surface control line and the internal bore of the landing nipple is needed so that premature lockout is prevented.